Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-12-24
"I.-I THOUGHT YOU LIKED MARTHYr'

IL lAOOGiiI 1OU LINED MARIH1
One long embrace, and one shy, sweet
Kiss ratified this silent promise.
''Put on that pretty lilac dress, Martie,
Monday morning; and meet me at 8
O'Clock just beyond the Swayle brook, and
IN one hour we will be one and say moth
ing to anybody. Oh, yes; one other
thing. VIII you trust the children to me
to bring up? Will you give them into my
guardianship completely? Answer yes,
without question"
'sWhy certainly. Since wei
GAN right Now must really go, for
there's thousand things to do. You
will be there?' and as she answered yes,
he caught her plump little form to his
heart again, and kissed her again for
goodby; and he leaped the fence at
bound, and in q few minutes was at home
about his chores, with a light heart, for
he loved Martie truly and well, and he
now saw his way to happiness with the
one girl he1oved
Sunday he went away in the morning,
and was gone all day, and only returned
in time for supper.
After the table was cleared, and Mrs
Hemphill sat down to rest, with clean
pocket handkerchief folded over her knees,
70 save her black silk dress, and her Bible
in her hands, for she always held her
Bible thus every Sunday evening, though
no one could remember ever seeing her
read it, Jabez arose from his seat and
walked up and down the room in silence
His mother watched him uneasily.
At last he spoke:
''Mother, l am thinking of getting mar
ried',
1t was out at last
T., e l.. A.
was great.
Mother, how would you like Lucinda
Rosencrants for q daughters''
In all her imaginings she had never let
her fancy run riot to an extent that could
have permitted Lucinda Rosencrants to
enter her head as the possible choice of
her son.
Pretty enough, but coarse and ignorant;
daughter of two idle, dissolute parents;
lazy and slovenly herself, and fond of
dancing and party going, and all the very
things that Mrs. Hemphill abhorred, it is
no wonder that she sat pale and shocked
and speechless.
OF all the girls that she knew, or had
ever heard of, Lucinda was the last one
that she would have chosen, and she could
not bear it.
Ell thought you liked Marthy, she
said, TREMENDOUSLY.
81 do like Martha; but you said so
much
81 rather you'd picked her QUIT
"She refused me.'
REFUSED you'll Iguess you're as good
as she any time, Any gal ought to be
proud to get you"
''She did not think so, and her refusal
did not hurt me long What do you
think of Lucinda?''
''Oh, JabeZ, don't ask. / never can
give in to your marrying into that awful
family. Just think of what set they
are, and Lucinda'n be just the same.
There amt another girl that can hold
candle to Marthy if it wasn't for them
there Children
''She gave them all away yesterday.
heard, to guardian
'Jabez, don't you think you could
change her resolution Ye amt bound to
Lucindy, be ye:''
''You know, mother, never break my
word
Mrs. Hemphill groaned.
"Fd ruther you had q took Marthy
with ten young uls to feed and raise than
Lucindy,'' and she began to cry, where
upon Jabez hurried of
The next morning Jabez was gone, no
one knew where, and the whole farm
seemed to want him back; though it was
monday, there was no work done, and
Mr.. and Mrs. Hemphill sat dejectly In the
"best ROOM
Father said at last, knocking the
ashes out of his pipe:
II knowed Saturday that sumpin was
up, but I never guessed what, and I'm
blamed if amt sorry for him to 90 and
take up with that shiftless Lucindy, when
he might a had Marthy, only for your
bein' so sot agin' them poor little young
sters; and think Marthy was a-doin' her
duty. I'm blamed sorry II "
Mr. Hemphill, don't swear. and don't
say broke off the match. never done
nuthin', only Friday / told Marthy my
opinion about it, and she got mad, and +
s'pose said something that maddened
Jabez, for the next dry he went of, and
s'pose he asked Lucindy.
'Oh, what on earth shall / do. He is
such good boy, and to throw himself
away sop
Well V0n told her vnnr mind In the